Chapter 65

**Raffaele**

“What’s got you grinning over there?” I asked, noticing Derek glued to his phone.

“Annika’s friend,” he replied.

“Wait, what?”

“Monica, her friend? She’s quite something.” Monica just showed up a few days ago, and honestly, I can’t decide who’s more of a handful—Annika, Thea, or Monica. But hey, at least her two best friends are around.

“Are you crushing on her friend?”

“She’s a stunning person who deserves my attention,” he said, making me roll my eyes.

“Is my jacket done yet?” My grandfather barged in.

“Seriously, you can’t just walk in like that, Grandpa.”

“I didn’t barge in! The guards let me through, and I came in the front door. What’s the issue? Now, is my jacket ready?”

“Yeah, it’s in the office,” I told him.

“What’s up with your jacket?”

“Well, after that little incident with my grandson and his babysitter a few days ago, I got some blood on my favorite coat. Chane, your other cleaning lady, knows how to get stains out like a pro,” he explained.

“Her name is Annika,” I said, heading to the kitchen.

“What’s going on between you two?” he asked.

“Uh oh…” Derek chimed in, and I shot him a glare.

“What are you getting at?”

“That night, you should’ve fired her, but you didn’t. You’d have fired anyone else for letting that happen, so why not her? And don’t lie to me,” he said, teeth clenched.

I glanced at Derek, who started whistling, then turned back to my grandfather. “She’s my girlfriend.”

“What?!”

“You heard me.”

“You hired that girl to babysit? Your girlfriend is your babysitter?” he said, fuming.

“We weren’t together back then; it just happened. And she’s not just a babysitter, Grandpa. She’s my girlfriend. And she’s not a bad person. I respect you a lot, but don’t talk down about her when you don’t even know her.”

She dresses like a total tease, and her behavior? It's just over the top. "Do you love her?" he asked me.

"Chane," I called out.

"Yes, sir?"

"Can you grab my grandfather's coat? He needs to head out."

"Of course, sir."

"Do you love her?" he pressed, making me meet his gaze.

"I do," I replied, catching Flavio and Derek gasping dramatically.

The door swung open, and we all turned to see Annika with the kids and the bodyguards I sent along since they wanted to hit the store for more games.

"Daddy, daddy!" Enzo beamed, running up to me. I scooped him up, noticing all the bags the guards were hauling in.

"I got all the Avengers, look!" he grinned, showing me his haul.

"That's awesome, buddy!" I smiled back.

"Hi, grandpa!" he waved.

"Hey there, champ! How's it going?" my grandfather replied with a smile.

"I'm good! I got more action figures. Want to see?"

"I'd love to!"

"Kids, why don’t you head upstairs for a bit? Grandpa will join you soon, okay?" I suggested, and they nodded. Enzo kissed my cheek and dashed up the stairs with the guards, taking his bags to his room.

Annika walked past my grandfather and me, and I wrapped my arm around her waist. "You good?" I whispered.

"I'm fine, just going to take a bath," she said with a smile, and I nodded. I kissed her forehead as she headed upstairs, and Chane came out with his jacket.

"Thanks a lot, Chane," my grandfather said. "If you don’t mind, I’m off to see my grandkids."

"Grandfather—"

"I have nothing more to say to you," he interrupted, heading up the stairs.

"He'll come around," Flavio shrugged.

"You know how stubborn he can be," I sighed.

**Annika**

I had just finished my shower and was in my black underwear and bra, brushing my teeth for the night. It felt great to get out of the house and do some shopping with the kids. We had our own little adventure, and I really enjoyed it. That was until I spotted Raffaele's grandfather in the living room.

You can really feel the chill in the air when he’s around. It’s mostly because he’s not a fan of mine. I quickly brushed my hair back into a ponytail since.

As I stepped out, I nearly jumped when I saw Raffaele sitting on the bed. "Wow, don’t sneak up on me like that!" I exclaimed, heading over to my dresser to grab a hair tie. I secured my hair and turned back to find Raffaele giving me a serious look. He looked amazing.

His hair was a bit tousled, and his shirt was half unbuttoned. He always pulls off a suit so well. I walked over and ran my fingers through his hair. He leaned his head against my stomach, his hands gliding from my thighs to my back.

He gave my butt a gentle squeeze, inhaling my scent. "What do you think about my grandfather?" he asked. I sighed and sat in his lap, facing him as he pulled me closer. I wrapped my arms around him and looked into his eyes. "I think I should keep my distance until he warms up to me. It feels like everything I do just makes it worse," I admitted honestly.

"It’s not your fault; that’s just how he is, which isn’t an excuse. He’s way more stubborn than I am. I don’t get why he acts like that, but trust me, he’ll come around eventually."

I'm aware. I pressed my lips against his and shifted my hips, making him let out a groan. He grabbed my neck and deepened the kiss, taking control. I pulled back, biting my lip, and leaned into the crook of his neck, planting a warm kiss on that soft spot.

"You always seem so tense," I whispered, kissing and nibbling at his neck while my fingers worked on unbuttoning his shirt. I moved down to his pants, feeling him harden under my touch, which made him groan and grab my backside as I ground against him, kissing him again.

"Want me to take care of you?" I asked, slipping my hand into his pants and feeling just how ready he was.

"Annika," he warned, giving me a sharp look.

"Hm..." I smirked, pulling him out of his pants while I took off his shirt. Watching him lick his lips, I stood up, slowly unhooking my bra, his eyes glued to me. I slid off my underwear and pushed him back onto the bed, climbing on top of him.

I kissed and licked my way down his chest, pulling his pants down a bit more. He caressed my backside as I positioned him, rubbing his tip against me, feeling how wet I was. I slid him in, gripping his neck and pushing his head back as he took a deep breath.

When did I turn into this?

I sank down, eyes shut tight, moaning with each inch I took. Finally, I went all the way down, and we both moaned in unison. I placed my hands on his chest, moving up and down while locking eyes with him.

I noticed him smirking at how much of a moaning mess I was. "Keep going, love," he grunted as I picked up the pace a little.

He always felt incredible; the sensation was sometimes painful, but in a way, it felt amazing.

He was so thick that every time he stretched me out, I couldn't help but love it. "You always feel amazing, baby," he moaned, tugging at my ponytail and pulling my head back.

I was practically speechless from the pleasure. He had this way of leaving me lost for words, and even though he wasn't doing much this time, tears were welling up in my eyes. The sound of my release echoed in my ears, even with the ringing.

It wasn't just the way he felt; it was the love I had for him that pushed me over the edge every single time. The rush coursing through my body was electric. I loved him, and my body definitely knew it. My eyes rolled back as I clung tighter to his chest.

He took hold of my neck and kissed me, asserting his control. He thrust into me, making my voice catch as he broke the kiss. My head fell into the crook of his neck, and I could feel another wave of pleasure building.

"I about to cum," I whispered.

"Let it go," he urged. He leaned back against the bed frame and kept bouncing me on him. My legs started to tremble as I held onto him tighter. With one final thrust, I came harder than ever, feeling like I had just lost control.

He released himself inside me, breathing heavily as he wrapped his arms around me. He kissed my lips, but I was so drained that I could barely respond. "I love you," I murmured into his neck.

He smiled and said, "I love you too, baby girl," as he pulled away, making me let out a soft whimper.

"Please tell me your grandpa isn't still around," I gasped, watching him chuckle.

"He took off after checking out all of Enzo's toys and the games for the older kids," he replied, and I nodded in understanding. I rolled onto the bed to catch my breath, and Raffaele did the same. As I lay there, I admired his tattoos. He had a massive piece on his back and ink covering his chest and arms, all the way up to his neck. Seeing him with the kids as a dad just makes him even more attractive.

"What are you looking at?" he asked, a curious look on his face.

"Your tattoos," I replied, causing him to laugh. He got up from the bed, stripped off his clothes, and came over to my side. I loved this view.

He scooped me up from the bed, making me giggle as I wrapped my arms around him, and carried me into the bathroom. "Can you wash my back?" he whispered, planting a kiss on my cheek, which made me playfully roll my eyes.